


Holding On To You

by darwinwithadifference



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fainting, Gen, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Protective Natasha Romanov, Protective Wanda Maximoff, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Wanda Maximoff & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Wanda Maximoff & Sam Wilson Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-18 07:57:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19330351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darwinwithadifference/pseuds/darwinwithadifference
Summary: While the Avengers deal with a bomb threat, Wanda has to hold back an explosion. After succeeding, Wanda is exhausted and Natasha tries to keep her conscious





	Holding On To You

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from the twenty one pilots song of the same name - I was thinking about Wanda having to hold out until backup arrived and trying to stay conscious for Natasha's sake

“Bombing threat in Moscow – we’re leaving in ten minutes.” Natasha took a single step into Wanda’s room to deliver her message and then promptly disappeared, leaving the younger woman to scramble out of bed – why were they always needed before dawn? – and get dressed.

Wanda jogged down to the quinjet, still yawning. When she got on board, Sam tossed her a granola bar. Natasha had them in the air in a minute and then Steve gathered their little team to brief them.

The only things that Wanda managed to absorb in her semi-comatose state were that Tony Stark was already on his way (oh joy), the threat was right in the middle of the city (oh crap), and there was a possibility of nuclear weaponry (oh fuck).

“Wanda, you’re going to have to create a shield around the bomb in case it goes off – your only focus is containing that thing. Sam will cover you,” Steve said when Natasha informed them that they were five minutes out. “Tony and I will focus on finding the group responsible, which is some neo-Nazi cell that sprung up from nowhere in the last few hours. Nat, once we find that bomb you start clearing people out of the area,” he explained.

The Black Widow raised her eyebrow at him from the pilot’s seat. “Because I’m such a reassuring figure?”

Sam chuckled. “None of us speak Russian. I’m sure you weren’t the first choice.”

She chuckled and Steve rolled his eyes, smiling. “Let’s go.”

They landed and sprinted out into the chaos.

 

After liaising with the local police and giving them instructions to obey Natasha’s evacuation orders, the rest of the Avengers met Tony in a pile of rubble nearby.

Steve sighed when he saw the amount of wreckage that Iron Man had already caused, but said nothing and instead began helping beat back some Nazis. As Wanda and Sam jogged off to find the bomb, she wondered if this was a familiar scenario to him.

It didn’t take long for Sam to use Redwing to find the bomb and the terrorists guarding it. Wanda conjured a shield around the metal cylinder that contained the weapon, and one around herself for protection as they snuck into the empty warehouse.

“We’re here, Steve,” Sam reported. “A lot of hostiles – backup would be great.”

“I’m on my way, Sam,” Steve replied. “Stark’s got the stragglers covered. Nat, how are you doing?”

The bomb’s guards finally noticed the two intruders, forcing Wanda and Sam out of cover – the Falcon sprung into action while Wanda focused on maintaining her shields and sending a blast of energy to help Sam out when he needed it – so Wanda didn’t catch Natasha’s reply. She hoped she was alright.

After Steve joined the fight, most of the Nazis seemed to decide that Captain America near their bomb wasn’t a good idea and concentrated their attacks around the warehouse.

One second, Cap and Sam were moving around her while she kept her eyes on the cylinder, and in the next moment the cylinder was in fragments.

_“Wanda, keep that shield up!”_ Steve yelled as he knocked the man who had set the bomb off unconscious and destroyed the trigger device.

There was no room for error here, and Wanda knew it. She felt her own shield fade away but ignored it: the massive amount of energy the bomb was trying to release wanted to go somewhere, and she was stopping it. Only just; the strain on her abilities was bigger than anything she’d tried to maintain before.

Black spots crowded the edges of her vision and Wanda felt her knees tremble. Maybe she should have had more than a granola bar for breakfast.

 

Natasha was already on her way to the warehouse when Stark landed just in front of her and pulled her up short.

“Cap needs our help – let’s go.”

“Don’t know where else you thought I was going,” she muttered as she sprinted after him.

Steve and Sam were close to being overwhelmed when Tony landed in the middle of a group of terrorists and started knocking them out. Natasha wasn’t far behind and immediately spotted Wanda kneeling some feet away.

She took up a position behind the witch and cleared the area of distractions. Wanda’s breathing was harsh and she was visibly shaking, but she was still holding the blast in check. Natasha was reminded just how powerful the girl was and how grateful she was that she was on their side.

Meanwhile, Tony was assembling the container he’d designed to hold the bomb. He was sure that it would be able to keep in the explosion and Steve refused to believe otherwise, because he could see how much Wanda was struggling to keep the bomb contained and he didn’t want her burning herself out.

“Okay. Wanda, I’m bringing the container to you. Keep the shield going until I give you the go-ahead,” Tony said as he slowly approached the witch.

Wanda nodded once but didn’t otherwise reply. Natasha could see that she was even paler than usual and starting to sway like she was about to faint. _Just a little longer, Maximoff._

Once the sparking red shield was in the container, Tony slammed it closed and engaged the myriad locks and pressurizers he’d built in to hold the device. He checked it over a few times – Wanda wasn’t sure how long it took him; time wasn’t a concept that mattered to her now – and then called, “We’re good.”

Almost immediately, the faint tendrils of red energy that had been curling around Wanda’s fingers faded away. She let herself fall forward. There was cold stone against her cheek but she didn’t care. She didn’t think she could shift herself anyway.

“Wanda, come on, look at me. You have to try to stay awake.” She made out Natasha’s flamelike hair and felt herself being rolled onto her back. She tried to focus her eyes but couldn’t.

She vaguely heard Steve speaking, but something was muffling the sounds. “… carry her. Nat, try to keep her awake.”

Sam’s voice. “I’m going to pick you up, Wanda. Come on now, open those eyes.”

Wanda tried, blinking slowly. There was Sam above her. And Natasha next to her.

“I need you to stay awake so I can check you over once we’re on the jet, Wanda. You can sleep after that – just stay awake for a bit longer. It won’t be long, I promise,” Natasha said as they walked out of the building. Steve and Tony were staying to make sure local authorities had the situation under control, but she wasn’t leaving Wanda (she had definitely not developed a soft spot for her over the last few months and was most certainly not feeling protective).

Once they were at the quinjet, Natasha let Sam take the pilot’s seat while she attended to Wanda. The Falcon had proved quick to learn how to pilot the jet, and while she trusted herself the most, Sam came a close second.

Wanda’s eyes were drifting closed again by the time Natasha had helped her lie down at the back of the jet. “Wanda, focus on me.” She pinched the younger woman’s hand, which at least got her eyes open again. “Are you injured?”

“No,” came the mumbled reply. “Don’t think so.”

“Are you getting warm or cold?” She loosened Wanda’s jacket and corset and folded her in one of the emergency blankets.

There was a pause. “Warm?” Seconds went by. “Or cold…”

Natasha noticed with a spark of alarm that Wanda’s skin was clammy and her breathing was shallow. She checked her pulse – slower than it should be.

“Wanda, can you take some deep breaths for me?” Natasha tucked a parachute under Wanda’s feet to elevate her legs and hopefully stop her fainting.

By the time Sam picked up Tony and Steve, Wanda was more stable and, to everyone’s relief, still conscious – albeit slow to react to any stimuli and not capable of talking much.

“Thanks for saving Europe, Maximoff,” Tony grinned and shook his head. “The lack of concern for personal safety makes her an Avenger even if she couldn’t keep a nuclear blast under control.”

Wanda smiled drowsily.

Steve brushed Natasha’s shoulder as he sat down next to Tony, across from where Wanda lay with Natasha at her side. “Well done, Wanda. Your control over your powers has gotten so much better.”

“Couldn’t let you guys get hurt,” she murmured softly. Natasha was pretty sure she was the only one who heard her second reply, “You’re the only family I have left.”


End file.
